Engine starter control



Aug. 27, 1940. M. H. ELKIN 2,213,160

ENGINE STARTER CONTROL Filed Feb. 25. 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 27,1940. M. H. ELKIN 2,213,160

ENGINE STARTER CONTROL Filed Feb. 25. 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2MMIII/Willlullin-EMM 7 1N VENTOR.

l Patented ug. 27, 1940v` ,rrED' STATES PATENT NFFICE aclaren ENGINEsmoren CONTROL Application February 25, i939, Serial No. 258.4% eclaims.: (ci. 29o-3o) which is adapted for remote control as by means ofa push button switch on a control board or inn strument panel.

it is a further object to provide such a device in. which the batteryvoltage initially` applied to the starting motor by closure of thestarting switch is reduced by a resistor in the startingv circuit, whichresistor is shunted by a lswitcl'ito energize the starting motor fromthe iull battery voltage after a predetermined time. A further object isto provide such a device in which closure oi the shunting switch isautomatically delayed for a predetermined time after closure of thestarting switch.

.Another object is to provide such a device in 'which the shuntingswitch is arranged to open prior to the opening of the starting switchto reduce the current flow to be broken by the opening oi the startingswitch.

Further objects and advantages will be ap- -J5 parent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

iig. l is a semi-diagrammatic illustration of a starting systemembodying a preierred iorin il@ oi the invention; v

' r'g. 2 is a similar view oi a second embodinient; and

Fig. 3 is a detail oi the mechanical interlocking switch control oi Fig.Zshowing the parte in cranling position.

in Fig. l of the drawings `there is illustrated a v starting circuitincluding a battery l grounded at 2 and connectedby a lead 3 to amagnetic starting switch indicated generally by numeral d.

'Starting switch l comprises xed contacts Sand t and a movable contact lmounted on a niag- 'netic plunger il which is arranged to be actuated bya solenoid 9 to effect closure or" the starting switch.. Contact B isconnected by alead il to a resistor l2 having a suitable value for re=SM which is grounded at ld toA complete the startt is another object toprovide such a device.

ducing the voltage oi the battery during the initial energization o thestarting circuit. Resistor l2 is connected by a lead i3 to the startingmotor lng circuit.

It will be understood that the starting motor is provided with suitablegearing of conventional type for engaging and actuating a member of theengine to be started, and since these parts are in the usual form, it isdeemed unnecessary l@ vto illustrate them in detail.

/i control circuit ior the solenoid 9 oi the starting switch is providedcomprising a manually operaole switch which may be in the form oi a pushbutton mounted on an instrument panel or control board. Snitch isconnected by a lead it to the battery lead and by a lead il to one endoi solenoid Q, the opposite end oi which is grounded i5 to complete thecontrol circuit. 2li

Means for bridging the resistor i2 to apply the iull battery voltage tothe starting motor, is provided comprising bridging switch indicatedgenerally by numeral Bridging switch comprises a fixed contact l 'r nichis connected 25 to and may be 'iormed lly with the contact oi thestarting ser contact '22 and a movable conta a magnetic plunger 2d.Contact is co n c oy a lead to the starting circ it v3@ el solenoid isprovided `for actua plunger 2d to close the bridging switch a controlcircuit for the solenoid is provided including a second contact on the.manual ES to one end oi the solenoid end oi solenoid 2G is connected ja lead fined Contact 3l. A movable contact anchored and grounded at oneend as indicated d@ at Si and carries at its iree end a weight or bob lMeans are provided ior'norinally holding contacts Si, 32 open and forcausing closure there# of' a predetermined time ai'er closure oi the d5starting switch. As here shown, this actuating means comprises a lever38 pivoted at and provided with a roller Sii adapted to engage the booS5 of the vibrator time delay and bend the pendulous strip 33 to holdopen contacts Si, 32. 5o

'A pinA 3Q iixed in the side of the lever Sii is arranged to engage in achannel ll in a collar l2 dried in any suitable way on the end of theplunger 8 of the starting switch whereby closure of the starting switchswings the lever 3B downward, 55

bration, and after a predetermined time delay;k

contacts 3|, 32 close and complete the control circuit yfor the bridgingswitch |9. A

Springs 43 and 48 are provided for normally maintaining the switches d.and I9 open as illust'rated, and the assembly of the two magneticswitches with thevibrator time delay is preferably enclosed in2 asuitable box 85 on which the' resistor |2 may be mounted if so desiredin order to form a self-contained commercial unit. In the operation ofthis device, closure of -the manual switch |5 rst effects closure ofthecontrol circuit for the starting switch 8 whereby the plunger 8 isactuated to close the starting switch and to release and set invibration the time delay `reed 33. Further pressure `on the manualswitch I5 causes engagement of contact 21 thereof whereby the controlcircuit for the bridging switch is completed up t the contact 3|.Clos'ure of the starting switch 4 causes initial energization of thestarting motor at a voltage reduced by the-resistor l2 to a suitablevalue for effecting engagement of the starter gearing. After apredetermined time delay, contact 32 Means areprovided for normallyAholding contacts 18, 19 open so as to open the control circuit 5 forsolenoid 12 of the bridging switch, in the form comes to rest againstcontact 3|, thus completing the control circuit for the bridging switchI9,

shuntedout and the full battery voltage applied .to the starting motorfor cranking purposes.

When the engine starts, release of the manual switch l5 rst breaks thecontrol circuit for the bridging switch 4|9 at contact 2L Switch |9.thus-opens and re-introduces the resistor I2 into thestarting circuit,thus reducing the'ilow of current therethrough. Complete release of themanual switchi5 opens the control :circuit for the starting switch 8,which then opens and interrupts the starting circuit. It'will be notedof a lever 88 pivotally mounted at one end as indicated at 85 andprovided at its Afree end with a roller 86 arranged to engage the bob 83and starting switch 58 swings the lever 845 causing the roller 88 toroll down the inclined portion 89 of the bob andddisengage therefrom,thus setting the reed 8| in vibration and permitting contacts 18, 19 toclose after the vibration has ceased. Effective energization of thesolenoid 12 is thus delayed for a predetermined time after closure ofthe starting switch 58,

According to the present invention, means are provided for holding thestarting switch 5.4 closed until after the bridging switch 65 hasopened. As here shown, this means comprises. a lever 9| pivoted at oneend as indicatedat 92 and provided a t its free end with a roller 93adapted when the bridging switch 65 Vis closed to engage the bob 83 asshown in Fig. 3 and prevent backward motion thereof ina direction toopen contacts 18, 19. 'I'he lever 88 .is then held in yits lowerposition by the bob 83, thereby locking the starting switch 54 closed.Means for'actuating lever 9| from the bridging switch plunger 1Iisprovided in the that inasmuch as the starting switch 'is not requiredto break/the vfull cranking current ofthe circuit,- it may be made of;lighter `and more yeconomical 'construction than wouldpotherwise bepossible, and the entire unit may be made of comparatively smalldimensions; and light weight.

form of a pin 98 on the lever engaging in a flanged `collar 95 xed toplunger 1|.

. age to cause engagement of the starter gearing.

chanical control'is provided for ensuring that the bridging switchcloses .last and opens rst. As there illustrated, a starting circuit isprovided including a battery 5| grounded at 52 and connected by a lead53 to a starting switch 54 comprisingnxed contacts 55 and 56 andamovable contact '51 carried by a magnetic plunger 58 actuated by pletethe '.control, circuit therefor.

a solenoid. 59. Contact 58 is connected by va lead After a predeterminedtime of vibration, contacts' 18, 19 close, thus causing energization ofsolenoid 12 which closes the bridging switch 65 and ap-v plies the fullbattery voltage to the starting motor permitted to open, thusre-i'ntroducing the re- 1starting switch 54 ,is momentarili.-

closed by 6|to a resistor 62 which`is connected bya lead VA controlcircuit for solenoids Sgand 12 is vprovided comprising a manual switchsuch as a push button 13 connected by a lead 1,4 to -gthe battery lead53 and by a1ead 15 to solenoids 59 and 12. Solenoid 59 grounded vat 16to come Solenoid 12 v- `is -connected by a lead 11 to a xed contact 18.

reason of thel engagement of the roller 86 of lever ,84 beneath the bob83. When the bridging -switch 55 opens, however, lever `9| is raised outof engagement with the bob 83, thus permitting the'starting switch 54vto open. Switch 54,`

circuit whereby arcing and burning of the contacts A'of the startingswitch are prevented. Since y the proper sequence of operation bf thestarting and bridging switchesis mechanically controlled in a. positivemanner, it is obvious .that there is er and ess expensiveconstructiorgmay be .i no possibility of overloadingv the startingswitchY Although but certain embodiments of the inventionvhavebeenjshown and described in detail,- it will be understood that otherembodiments.

. 2,218,166 are possible and various changes may be made in the designand arrangement oi the parts without departing from the spirit of theinvention as deiined in the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

l. In an engine starter control, a starting circuit including a battery,a starting motor, a startbit ing switch and a resistor, a controlcircuit for the starting switch'including a manual switch, a magneticswitchin shunt with the resistor, a control circuit for the shunt switchincluding said manual switch and a pair of normally open contacts, meansoperated by closure of the start'- ing switch for causing closure ofsaid contacts, and means for vibrating said contacts a predeterminedtime before eective closure thereof.

2,. In an engine starter, a starting circuit in= cluding a battery, a'motor, a starting switch and a resistor for reducing the voltage of thebattery initially applied to the motor, means including a magneticswitch for providing a bridging circuit around said resistor to applyfull ybattery voltage to the starting motor,y manually controllablemeans for causing closure of the starting switch, a control circuit forsaid bridging switch including contacts closed by closure oi thestarting switch, and means for deenergizing said control circuit whilethe starting switch remains closed.

3.' In combination with an engine starter including a battery, astarting motor and means responsive to energization of the startingmotor for establishing a driving connection from the starting motor to amember oi the engine to be started, a two=stage starter control thereforincluding a magnetic starting switch, closure ci which energizes thestarting motor sumciently to establish said drivingv connection, and ashunt switch, closure of which causes the full battery voltage to beapplied to the starting motor, said starting switch comprising a movablemember, a control circuit ior the shunt switch including a pair ofcontacts, one or which is pendulously mounted, and means operated by themovable member of the starting switch for holding the contacts open whenthe starting switch is open and for releasing and setting in vibrationthe pendulous contact when the starting switch closes. f

1i. In an engine starter, a battery, a starting motor, means including amagnetic starting switch and a resistor for applying reduced voltagefrom the battery to the motor, means including a'magnetic switch forbridging the resistor to apply full battery voltage to ther motor, andcontrol circuits for said magnetic switches including a manual switch,closure of which causes energization iirst of the starting switch, thenof the bridging switch, and opening of which` causes deenergizationiirst of the bridging switch and then of the starting switch.

5. In an engine starter, a battery, a starting motor, means including amagnetic starting switch and a resistor tor lapplying reduced voltagefrom the battery to the motor, means including a magnetic switch forbridging the resistor to apply full battery voltage to the motor,control circuits for said magnetic switches including a manual switch,closure of which causes Venergization rst of the starting switch, thenci the bridging switch, and opening of ,which causes deenergization rstof the bridging switch and then of the starting switch, the controlcircuit for the bridging switch also including a pair of normally opencontacts, and means actuated by closure of the starting switch foreiecting closure ci said contacts. l

6. In an engine starter control, a starting circuit including a magneticstarting switch and a resistor, a control circuit for the magneticswitch including 'a manual switch, a magnetic switch for bridging saidresistor, a control circuit for the bridging switch including saidmanual switch, and means actuated by closure of the bridging switch forholding the starting switch closed.

7. In an engine starter control, a starting cir= cuit including amagnetic starting switch and a resistor, a control circuit for themagnetic switch including a manual switch, a magnetic switch forbridging said resistor, a control circuit for the bridging switchincuding said manual switch and a pair ci contacts, means actuated byclosure oil the starting switch for closing said contacts, and meansactuated by closure of the bridging switch for holding the startingswitch closed.

8. In an engine starter control, a starting circuit including a magneticstarting switch and a resistor, a control circuit for the magneticswitch including a manual switch, a magnetic switch for bridging saidresistor, a control circuit for the bridging switch including saidmanual switch and a pair of contacts, one of which is pendulouslymounted, means actuated by the starting switch for holding thependulously mounted contact open when the starting switch is open-andfor setting the pendulous contact in vibration when the starting switchcloses, and means actuated by closure of the bridging switch for soconfining the contact controlling device as to prevent opening ofthestarting switch.

9. In a two-stage starter control for internal combustion engines, astarting switch, a resistor in series therewith, a shunt switch arrangedto bridge the resistor, means actuated by the closing movement of thestarting switch for causing closure of the shunt switch a predeterminedtime after closure of the starting switch, and manually operable meansfor opening rst the shunt switch v and then the starting switch.

MANUELEm.

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